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With Hall of Fame induction looming, who would be fit for a Prince?
Jon Bream, Star Tribune
Published November 9, 2003 POP09

It's a lock: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will announce sometime in the next few days that Prince is one of its new inductees. Given his career, influence and impact, he is the most compelling choice on a ballot that includes John Mellencamp, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Harrison, the Sex Pistols, Bob Seger, Black Sabbath and Patti Smith, among others.

What's not certain is who will give Prince's induction speech at the ceremonies in March in a New York City hotel ballroom. Because the event is taped and edited for broadcast on VH1, the programming poobahs seem to have some sway when it comes to choosing presenters.

With all due respect to Paul Shaffer, who traditionally directs the live music for the induction ceremonies, we offer a Top 10 list of candidates to induct Prince.}}}

10 Sly Stone. A Hall member, he was a major influence on Prince, and Sly's hybrid sound and coed, multiracial band also reflect Prince's approach. But Sly, a tortured genius, hasn't been heard from in years. A logical sub would be Sly & the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham. A giant among bass players, an R&B hitmaker and a close friend of Prince's (and fellow evangelizing Jehovah's Witness), Graham would be too obscure for the TV masses, however.

9 Carlos Santana. Another Hall of Famer and early influence on Prince. However, Santana's speeches tend to be lost in the spiritual ozone. Plus, Clive Davis, the record-label president who is a Hall of Famer himself, insists that Santana associate with young artists such as Michelle Branch.

8 George Clinton. In 1997, Prince gave the Hall of Fame induction speech for the Godfather of Funk, his friend and hero. As for a role reversal, well, Clinton's music speaks louder -- and more clearly -- than his words.

7 Chaka Khan. As a teen, Prince had posters of her on his bedroom walls. She scored a solo hit with an interpretation of his "Feel 4 U," but she isn't much more talkative than the shy Prince.

6 Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen. It would be a dream if Dylan, a fellow Minnesota maverick, inducted Prince, but Dylan isn't big on making speeches. However, Springsteen is, and he's been called upon to induct several Hall of Fame heavyweights, including Dylan and Roy Orbison. Both the Boss and Prince had their biggest albums ("Born in the U.S.A." and "Purple Rain") in 1984. Other than that, there isn't much of a connection -- musical or personal -- between them.

5 Joni Mitchell. Another Hall of Famer who influenced Prince. She didn't even show up for her own induction, so why would she turn up this time? Well, she did travel to Sheridan, Wyo., for the premiere of Prince's second film, "Under the Cherry Moon."

4 Beck. VH1 would love someone relatively young and hip like Beck. He's a funky cross-breeder of styles, and he often covers Prince songs in concert. But to VH1 programmers, he's so 1990s.

3 OutKast. This hip-hop duo is hot, hip and heavily influenced by Prince. But are they recognizable enough to VH1 viewers to honor the year's most prominent inductee?

2 Neil Young. Musically, this two-time Hall of Famer (both as a solo act and with Buffalo Springfield) has little in common with Prince. However, both are iconoclasts who travel to their own beat, thumbing their noses at major labels and even their own fans. That would make Young a fitting choice. But he has such an unfavorable view of VH1 that it's questionable whether he'd show up.

1 Lenny Kravitz. He and Prince are friendly enough to have jammed onstage and in the studio. He borrows from some of the same '60s/'70s influences that Prince did. VH1 loves him as much as he loves Prince. Just last year, the music network named Kravitz one of its "25 sexiest." And if he's still squiring Nicole Kidman come the March induction ceremony, his Q rating will be higher than Sly Stone could ever take you.

Kravitz, who launched his career as Romeo Blue as a tribute to you-know-who, is the one to induct His Purpleness.

Jon Bream is at 612-673-1719 or popmusic@startribune.com

congrads...

Awesome lol

Let's hope this IS true and not some Hollywood rumor.

psychodelicide said:

ditto!

Yippee

i wasn't aware that prince gave the induction speech for george clinton back in 1997. are we sure that info is accurate. i can't believe that i would have forgotten that.

Yes that is accurate, Prince DID give the induction speech when George was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was shown on TV (forget which channel, it might have been VH-1), and I remember taping the show so that I could watch it.
[This message was edited Sun Nov 9 9:20:38 PST 2003 by psychodelicide]

[This message was edited Sun Nov 9 9:20:21 PST 2003 by psychodelicide]

I do think that piccy is AWFUL tho. He looks like some guy from a fancy dress party trying to be Prince.

IF it´s true, it would be very nice to see Lenny Kravitz doing the speech

Why he hasnt been inducted already is a question worth asking, he should have been inducted years ago.

Im sure they would get someone with greater standing than Lenny Kravitz, i would reverse your list most definately.
What about Stevie Wonder?

Isnt that a brilliant picture of him!
It captures the excitement

What about...






JAMES BROWN!

TheFreakerFantastic said:

This is his first year of eligibility. You have to be in the biz for 25 years (first album release date starts the clock).

I think that George Clinton would be one of the better choices for giving the induction speech but since he's so out of it all the time, I have to go with OutKast.

Nikkie said:

It would be nice to actually be able to understand the person inducting Prince. I don't want to be reading subtitles.

I think this is awesome and would love to see either
Outkast
Lenny Kravitz
George Clinton
Stevie Wonder
Michael Jackson! haha... wouldnt that be great
Patti Labelle <-his best friend (?)
any of them, doesnt matter much to me
gotta love James Brown - but I agree.. NOT to give a speech, please!
LOL

Love You - Congrats !!!

this is the first year he was on the ballots you have to be the business 25 years to be eligable..so he made on the first try...

LENNY's my first choice.

Nikkie said:

James Brown is a good choice, but I don't think we'd understand a single word of his speech so a no on J.B.

Oh, joyous N.E.W.S.!!!

My pick for the speech honor is also Lenny Kravitz - surely his speech would be the most original and entertaining. And, of course, the most attractive presenter to look at!!!

The perfect presenter would have been Miles Davis. Its a shame that moment wasn't able to happen.

Jon's #2 pick for the speech Neil Young?? What the hell?

NO NO NO Lenny...God no.

neronava said:

Co - NO.

Supernova said:

George Clinton!

POTUS said:

YES I agree, that's why I call for Maceo Parker to step up 4 this. I think Prince would prefer a close personal friend rather than a big name in the industry...

Also, Prince should have received this a very long time ago. Forget the 25yr rule...

Prince deserved to be known as the only exception to this rule.

More than likely, Lenny will give the speech. It would be a crime if he didn't. But you know it would also be nice to see either Beck or Outkast induct him as well. All 3 of those artists are successors to the purple throne, I think.